Fingerprint Detectionhttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/3309/all
enWSJ: iPhone 5s Doesn't Store Fingerprint Images, Requires Passcodehttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/wsj_iphone_5s_doesnt_store_fingerprint_images_requires_passcode
<!--paging_filter--><p>After the announcement of the iPhone 5s' fingerprint detector, jokes abounded on Twitter and throughout much of the rest of the Internet about how the NSA was going to document everyone's fingerprints with the device. According to the <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/09/11/apple-new-iphone-not-storing-fingerprints-doesnt-like-sweat/" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>, at least, it may not come to that. According to an unnamed spokesman at Apple, the fingerprint detector won't actually record images of your fingerprints.</p><p>Instead, it will only collect "fingerprint data," which is stored in the iPhone 5S's processor. According to the WSJ, "In practice, this means that even if someone cracked an iPhone's encrypted chip, they likely wouldn't be able to reverse engineer someone’s fingerprint." This is in line with what Apple said during the actual announcement, specifically that the information was stored "in the Secure Enclave inside the A7 chip on the iPhone 5s." The information would not be store on Apple's servers or in the iCloud.</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/09/fingerprintdetection.jpg" width="620" height="349" /></p><p>In its interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple also alleviated concerns that the fingerprint detection device won't always worked if your fingers are dirty (or injured, for that matter). As a safeguard against this, anyone who uses the fingerprint sensor will also have to create a passcode in case the sensor isn't working.</p><p>The WSJ went on to add that you'll also have to use this passcode if you reboot your phone or haven't unlocked it within 48 hours. As the WSJ says, "This feature is meant to block hackers from stalling for time as they try to find a way to circumvent the fingerprint scanner."</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/wsj_iphone_5s_doesnt_store_fingerprint_images_requires_passcode#commentsNewsFingerprint Detectionfingerprint detectoriOS 7iPhone 5SThu, 12 Sep 2013 22:53:00 +0000Leif Johnson18046 at http://www.maclife.comPatent Filing from 2012 Suggests iPhone 5S May Support Fingerprint Paymentshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/patent_filing_2012_suggests_iphone_5s_may_support_fingerprint_payments
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/09/fingerprint.jpg" width="250" height="277" class="graphic-right" />Judging from a patent filing recently discovered by <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2013/09/09/will-iphone-5s-act-as-an-electronic-wallet-combined-fingerprintnfc-patent-suggests-that-it-might/" target="_blank">AppleInsider</a>, it looks as though the rumors that the iPhone 5S's fingerprint sensor could support payment options might be true after all. Originally analysts believed that the fingerprint-payment feature was a little too advanced for the upcoming release, but AppleInsider's research shows that Apple had such an idea in mind all the way back in March of 2012.</p><p>The patent may also partially confirm another rumor: the design for the fingerprint sensor in the filing looks remarkably like what's on the <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/blurry_photos_allegedly_show_iphone_5s_new_home_button_possible_scanner" target="_blank">allegedly leaked boxes</a> for the iPhone 5S that we saw last week. As described in the filing, the design supports "contactless" payment options, or rather a procedure that lets you pay for items by simply holding your device (or wallet) close to a sensor on a register. Contactless payment is apparently a popular choice overseas, but the security risks involved have discouraged widespread adoption over on this side of the pond.</p><p>The iPhone 5S could change all that with its rumored fingerprint sensor. Indeed, if the security provided by the fingerprint sensor works well enough, it may even be enough to do away with the usual restriction of 30 or so dollars on current contactless payments. If true, it could also means that tomorrow's reveal will warrant significantly more attention than all the leaks we've seen so far have suggested.</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/09/buttons_0.jpg" width="620" height="412" /></p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><strong><span style="line-height: 19px;">Source:&nbsp;</span><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #0099cc; text-decoration: none; line-height: 19px;" href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//www.ctechcn.com/iphone5s-case-leak/&amp;hl=en&amp;langpair=auto%7Cen&amp;tbb=1&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">C Technology</a><span style="line-height: 19px;">/</span><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #0099cc; text-decoration: none; line-height: 19px;" href="http://9to5mac.com/2013/09/06/sketchy-photos-claim-to-show-iphone-5s-box-with-tweaked-home-button-as-fingerprint-sensor-speculation-increases/" target="_blank">9to5 Mac</a></strong></span></p><p>Here's some of the wording in the actual patent filing: "An electronic device may have electrical components such as sensors. A sensor may have sensor circuitry that gathers sensor data using a conductive structure. The sensor may be a touch sensor that uses the conductive structure to form a capacitive touch sensor electrode or may be a fingerprint sensor that uses the conductive structure with a fingerprint electrode array to handle fingerprint sensor signals. Near field communications circuitry may be included in an electronic device. When operated in a sensor mode, the sensor circuitry may use the conductive structure to gather a fingerprint or other sensor data. When operated in near field communications mode, the near field communications circuitry can use the conductive structure to transmit and receive capacitively coupled or inductively coupled near field communications signals. A fingerprint sensor may have optical structures that communicate with external equipment."</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/patent_filing_2012_suggests_iphone_5s_may_support_fingerprint_payments#commentsNewsFingerprint Detectionfingerprint sensoriOSiphonePatentsRumorsMon, 09 Sep 2013 18:35:02 +0000Leif Johnson17991 at http://www.maclife.comBlurry Photos Allegedly Show iPhone 5S with New Home Button, Possible Scannerhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/blurry_photos_allegedly_show_iphone_5s_new_home_button_possible_scanner
<!--paging_filter--><p>Last week we shared an image of what may be the actual fingerprint scanner for the iPhone 5S; today we bring you dubious photos of an alleged iPhone 5S box which seems to&nbsp;indicate a fingerprint&nbsp;scanner on the device itself. The images, leaked by Chinese site <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//www.ctechcn.com/iphone5s-case-leak/&amp;hl=en&amp;langpair=auto%7Cen&amp;tbb=1&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">C Technology</a>, appear to show that Apple's ditched the traditional encircled square for a gray ring around the home button's edge.</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/09/buttons.jpg" width="620" height="412" /></p><p>Source: <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//www.ctechcn.com/iphone5s-case-leak/&amp;hl=en&amp;langpair=auto%7Cen&amp;tbb=1&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">C Technology</a>/<a href="http://9to5mac.com/2013/09/06/sketchy-photos-claim-to-show-iphone-5s-box-with-tweaked-home-button-as-fingerprint-sensor-speculation-increases/" target="_blank">9to5 Mac</a></p><p>The removal of the square would make sense considering that a fingerprint sensor would likely need a clear surface to avoid faulty results, but there's currently no way to tell if what we're seeing is the real deal. (It doesn't help that the photos seems like it was taken by the same people who take shots of UFOS and Bigfoot.)</p><p>In their coverage, <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2013/09/06/sketchy-photos-claim-to-show-iphone-5s-box-with-tweaked-home-button-as-fingerprint-sensor-speculation-increases/" target="_blank">9to5 Mac </a>pointed out that the photo also seems to support some of the rumors from "sources" that they'd picked up <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2013/08/19/the-gold-iphone-5s-fingerprint-scanners-and-the-future-of-ios/" target="_blank">earlier</a>: "Also contrary to recent talk, the new Home button’s design will not be noticeably convex. Perhaps the shape has changed, but the tweaked button is nothing distinct enough for the iPhone 5S to be identified as anything but an iPhone 5 by the untrained eye. There’s the possibility, however, that the etching and border of the Home button could become more shiny and look slightly different."</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/09/appleevent.jpg" width="620" height="488" /></p><p>Most tellingly of all, several commentators have picked up on the uncanny resemblance between the silver ring in the photo and the gray/silver rings that were found amid the multicolored polka dots on Apple's accompanying image for the <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/sept_10_confirmed_apple_event_iphone_5s_announcement_expected" target="_blank">September 10 announcement event</a>. If true, what initially looks like a simple design element may turn out to have greater significance after all.</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/blurry_photos_allegedly_show_iphone_5s_new_home_button_possible_scanner#commentsNewsFingerprint Detectionfingerprint scannerhome buttoniphoneiPhone 5SRumorsFri, 06 Sep 2013 21:23:30 +0000Leif Johnson17979 at http://www.maclife.comAlleged iPhone 5S Flex Cable May Confirm Fingerprint Detection Supporthttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/alleged_iphone_5s_flex_cable_may_confirm_fingerprint_detection_support
<!--paging_filter--><p>One of the strangest common threads among all the leaks we've seen of the iPhone 5S so far is that none have featured the fingerprint sensor we've heard so much about. Yet with some leaked photos from French site <a href="http://www.nowhereelse.fr/bouton-home-iphone-5s-lecteur-empreintes-digitales-87919/" target="_blank">Nowhereelse.fr</a>, that may have changed. Depicting a new home button flex cable part, the image looks as though it could at last prove that one of the iPhone 5S's most anticipated features may be a reality, after all.</p><p>As <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2013/09/03/new-photo-of-alleged-iphone-5s-home-button-flex-cable-could-point-to-fingerprint-sensor-support/" target="_blank">MacRumors</a> notes, the flex cable button sports the identifier number 821-2092-01, which fits well with number scheme Apple tends to use with its parts. In addition, the manufacturing code 1329 seems suggest that it was made during the 29th week of 2013, which would have fallen in mid-July. This late date of manufacture may prove why we haven't seen it in any of the previous leaks: for whatever reason, Apple just didn't include it in the prototypes that were leaked earlier.</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/09/iphone5sbutton.jpg" width="620" height="316" /></p><p><strong>Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nowhereelse.fr/bouton-home-iphone-5s-lecteur-empreintes-digitales-87919/" target="_blank">Nowhereelse.fr</a></strong></p><p>The comparison photo above shows how sharply the new part differs from its predecessors. Not only does it have a wildly different shape, but it also includes its on chip next to the button itself. There also seems to be a fingerprint scanner on the middle of the button, which could be what the iPhone 5S uses to register your fingerprint every time you use your phone.</p><p>Then again, of course, there's always a possibility that we're not looking at an iPhone 5S part at all, although the identifier number seems a sure bet. Unless we get to see a new leaked iPhone 5S device ahead of Apple's <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/sept_10_confirmed_apple_event_iphone_5s_announcement_expected" target="_blank">September 10</a> announcement (which may very well happen considering this year's track record), we'll just have to wait until Tim Cook shows us the final device before we find out.</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/alleged_iphone_5s_flex_cable_may_confirm_fingerprint_detection_support#commentsNewsFingerprint Detectionfingerprint sensoriPhone 5Sleaks. partsRumorsTue, 03 Sep 2013 18:05:02 +0000Leif Johnson17938 at http://www.maclife.comPatents Could Supply Clues to Next-Gen iPhonehttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/patents_could_supply_clues_nextgen_iphone
<!--paging_filter--><p>Less than a month and already Apple has something new up its sleeve. According to <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2009/07/02/haptic-feedback-fingerprint-identification-and-rfid-tag-readers-in-future-iphones/">MacRumors</a>, Apple has released a number of new patents that may lead to the next generation iPhone features, including haptic tactile feedback, fingerprint identification as an input method, and an RFID reader.</p><p>Haptic tactile feedback would help users 'feel' the difference while using the phone. One way Apple sees Haptic feedback benefiting iPhone owners is while driving. Apple stated in their patent filing: </p><p><em>Unless touch input components are improved, users that, for example,
drive a motor vehicle, may avoid devices that have a touch input
component and favor those that have a plurality of physical input
components (e.g., buttons, wheels, etc.).</em></p><p>If you see Apple engineers cruising your neighborhoods with iPhones on the seat next to them, it's a good bet they're testing this out. </p><p><br /><img alt="Haptil Feedback" height="385" src="/files/u121186/HaptileFeedback.jpg" width="380" /><br /> </p><p>Fingerprint identification would detect the user’s individual fingerprints. The technology has been in use in laptops for a while. But what makes this patent more unique compared to others is distinct fingerprints may be used for commands. For example, the index finger can be used to play a song, whereas the middle finger can be used to pause the same song. Even though the 3.0 software introduced the shake feature for Apple iPhones and iPod to change the tracks, this new feature is helpful for manipulating the device without having to look at the device.</p><p><br /><img alt="Fingerprint" height="362" src="/files/u121186/Fingerprint.jpg" width="380" /><br /> </p><p>Apple also looks to be in the market to place RFID into its devices. The RFID placed in the display would allow users to read RFID tags placed in objects. The system is usually used by companies to track inventory. How Apple would utilize the technology is anyone's guess. Maybe the iPhone could be used as a cashless payment system. Swipe your iPhone on a RFID tag/sensor at the movies or gas station and the money gets deducted from your account. </p><p>Okay, that would be kind of cool. </p><p>Via <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/167959/apple_iphone_4g_patent_surfaces.html" target="_blank">PC World </a></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/patents_could_supply_clues_nextgen_iphone#commentsNewsFingerprint DetectionHaptic Tactile FeedbackiphonerfidRumorsiPhoneTue, 07 Jul 2009 19:42:31 +0000JC Domingo4471 at http://www.maclife.com